


Children of the Republic

by hrtiu



Series: Stronger than Fate [11]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: Rebels, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types, The Mandalorian (TV)
Genre: Aging, Established Relationship, F/M, Gen, Minor Character Death, Parenthood, clone retirement home
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-14
Updated: 2020-10-28
Packaged: 2021-03-05 21:07:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 13,610
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25901803
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hrtiu/pseuds/hrtiu
Summary: The war against the Empire had ended, and Rex had found a future with Ahsoka, but there was still so much he owed his brothers. Time was running out as even those clones who’d made it out of the wars alive started dying of old age, but Rex wasn’t about to give up.They were Children of the Republic in the truest sense, their existence generated entirely by the needs of the Senate. Of course, most children had parents who protected and loved them, while the clones of the Grand Army of the Republic only had each other.
Relationships: CC-5052 | Bly/Aayla Secura, CT-7567 | Rex/Ahsoka Tano, Kanan Jarrus/Hera Syndulla
Series: Stronger than Fate [11]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1858399
Comments: 41
Kudos: 153





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> If you haven't read the rest of this series, 1) maybe go read it? it's not too long! and 2) what you need to know is that Din went to find Ahsoka to train the child (whom he names Dral), and Ahsoka agrees if the child uses Force healing to reverse Rex's advanced aging, which he does. Ahsoka and Rex get married, and they move to Ossus where Ahsoka helps train the child and Din comes to visit frequently.

“Hey Hera, what’s the news?”

“I followed up on that lead you gave me on Kashyyyk, but it looks like a dead end. A couple of people remembered a man who more or less fit the clone description, but he died a few years back.”

Rex leaned back in his chair and scratched at his chin, a discontented grumble escaping his throat. He’d really been hoping the rumors would lead him to another brother.

“I’m sorry, Rex, I did what I could,” Hera said, the luminous blue of her expression over the holo flickering.

“That’s fine. I knew it was a long shot. What about the others? How are they doing?”

“All right, last I checked. I don’t often have a chance to get to Seelos. Although, you should know that Bly’s health is going. Blackout told me you might want to stop by soon if you want to see him before...”

“I understand,” Rex said, his chest tightening. “Thanks for letting me know.”

“Hey, I gotta go, Jacen’s freaking out,” Hera said, glancing over her shoulder into the space of her cockpit that was invisible to Rex.

“Sure thing. If they reach out to you let them know I’m going to Seelos. I want to pay Bly a visit if I can.”

“Got it. Spectre Leader out,” she said with a warm smile, then the holo cut off.

Rex sighed and leaned his head back in his chair, staring up at the dark stone ceiling of his home. It was a small, squat building hunched up against the mountainside, its grey walls standing out against the red earth. It had taken a while to make this place livable, but with a power generator, supplies from offworld, and a bit of creativity, he and Ahsoka had managed to create their own space here.

“Rex? You in there?” Ahsoka’s voice called from the other room.

“Yeah. Just got off the holo with Hera,” he replied.

Ahsoka popped her head into their transmissions room, a small booth made specifically for the few contacts they had with the outside world.

“Oh, nice! What news did she have?”

“Bly’s dying,” Rex said, fighting to keep his voice casual.

Ahsoka’s face softened and she stepped fully into the room, walking to Rex’s side and resting a hand on his shoulder. “I’m sorry.”

Rex shrugged, though his eyes shut tighter than they needed to. “Was bound to happen eventually. Once Hawkeye died last year of old age I knew others would have to follow pretty quickly.”

Shared DNA meant a shared fate, after all.

“Are we going to Seelos, then?”

Rex nodded. “Yeah. Do you think we could take the kid with us? Just in case Bly changes his mind?”

“I’ll have to ask Din, but it’s alright with me.”

“Ok. Let’s ask him soon. I don’t know how long Bly has.”

Rex spent the rest of the day cleaning and preparing dinner. This was how he and Ahsoka worked: he took care of most household duties while she trained the kid. Rex enjoyed life here. It was simple and repetitive, but it was also safe and he got to spend his days with the person he loved most in the galaxy. That was the definition of paradise, as far as he was concerned.

As the first of the two suns fell low over the horizon, Rex called everyone to dinner, and soon he, Ahsoka, Dral, and Din sat around their kitchen table. Dral practically vibrated with happiness as he bounced in his seat next to Din, even though Din had already been staying with them for over a month. Somehow his enthusiasm for spending time with his father never seemed to fade. The feeling was mutual, and Din liked to spend as much time as he could spare on Ossus with his son, but financial needs and other obligations prevented him from living planetside full time. 

Rex dished out the food—roasted local rodent of some kind—putting Din’s portion in a deep tray with a lid for him to take to his quarters to eat in private later. Din sometimes drank with them through a straw, but he mostly joined them for dinner simply for the company.

Ahsoka and Dral dug into their meat with carnivorous abandon, and Rex shook his head. If only they didn’t have to buy so much meat their credits would go a lot farther. Rex caught as much local fauna as he could, but always found himself needing to supplement with expensive imported food.

“Still planning on heading out tomorrow?” Ahsoka asked Din after she’d made short work of her meal.

Din nodded his beskar helmet. “Yeah. Got a bodyguard gig over on Kijimi.”

Rex nodded his head in approval. Din still took bounties every once in a while, but he’d been trying to move towards safer and less morally dubious work since Dral. The kid had already probably been orphaned once and Rex was glad to see Din make efforts to ensure that didn’t happen again.

“I’m heading to Seelos soon, to visit a clone who’s dying,” Rex said. “Was wondering if I could take the kid with me.”

Din’s helmet tilted in a way that somehow suggested a frown, and he hummed. “Why do you want to do that?”

“Just wanted to give him one last chance to change his mind.”

Din’s visor stayed trained on Rex for a long moment, and Rex knew he didn’t like it. At length he turned his head towards Ahsoka. “You sure it won’t hurt him?”

“About as sure as I can be,” Ahsoka said. “As far as I can tell, Force healing uses the healer’s life force to mend the injured person, but life force regenerates. As long as the healer can heal the injury without using up all of their life force, they will recover and be able to do the same thing again however many times they want.”

Din’s chin dipped towards his chest, and Rex could understand his hesitation. It was Din’s job to protect the child, after all, even if that meant protecting him from the well-meant intentions of his caretakers.

“Alright, if you’re confident, Ahsoka. But monitor him, and if he seems uncertain or like he’s stretching himself, put a stop to it,” Din said.

“I will. I promise.”

* * *

Ahsoka and Rex had their own shuttle on Ossus, but in the end they decided to make the trip to Seelos with Hera aboard the _Ghost_ . The _Ghost_ had the defensive capabilities the shuttle lacked, which made Din more comfortable with Dral going with them, but also Hera missed Rex and Ahsoka, and they all viewed the excursion as a chance to spend some time together.

Rex sat across from Jacen, locked in a fierce game of holochess while Dral and Chopper watched on. Chopper taunted Rex at every turn, his undying loyalty for Jacen clear, while Hera and Ahsoka chatted in the cockpit. It was a nice feeling, being around other people for a change. Rex hadn’t been in a group this lively for years.

Jacen’s sharply-angled eyebrows furrowed as he looked down at the board and considered his next move, expertly tuning out Chopper’s bad and sometimes vulgar advice. The eleven-year-old’s distinctive eyebrows were so unmistakably inherited from Kanan Jarrus that Rex had a hard time seeing anything else on the young kid’s face. He knew not all half-Twi’lek children looked as human as Jacen, but he had no idea how it worked. Twi’lek were nearest to Togruta in biology, and Rex wondered for an idle moment what a Togruta-human hybrid might look like.

“Ha!” Jacen said with glee as he took one of Rex’s more powerful pieces. “Your move.”

“Hmm…” Rex said admiringly. “Good move.”

“Thanks!” Jacen said, a smile as bright as the sun on his face. He waited a moment while Rex considered his next move, but quickly lost patience. “My mom says you knew my dad.”

“Sure did.”

“What do you remember about him? I like to ask anyone who met him.”

Rex looked up from the board and tried to hide the pang of sorrow that tightened his chest. It wasn’t right that someone so young should never have known his father. “He was a good man. We didn’t always agree on things—didn’t really get along at first, really—but I respected him. He was brave and wise.”

“Why didn’t you get along?”

Rex leaned back in his seat and scratched at an imaginary itch on his neck. Jacen had never asked him about Kanan before, but then again, it had been several years since they’d spent time together and the boy had grown a lot in that time. Rex could only hope he wouldn’t say the wrong thing.

“It’s a little hard to explain,” Rex ventured cautiously, “But basically some of my brothers betrayed Kanan and his Jedi master. That made it hard for him to trust me.”

“Brothers? You mean those men who all look the same? The ones Mom helped you find?”

“Yeah, them.”

Rex would always be grateful to Hera for helping him when the idea of a clone rehabilitation project first crossed his mind. The Battle of Endor had just ended, and while Rex knew that he had a community he could depend on due to his years of service to the Rebellion, the same could not be said for the vast majority of his brothers. The galaxy was growing increasingly hostile to clones, as the Empire most served had first abandoned them, then collapsed, and the New Republic growing in its place feared and distrusted them. And so he and Hera had followed lead after lead, gathering as many clones up as they could, removing inhibitor chips if they wanted and giving them the option to relocate to Seelos. They hadn’t found too many people, but it still felt like he’d made some small difference.

Rex saw an opening and moved his piece, capturing one of Jacen’s. A wicked gleam entered the boys eyes and he played his next move immediately, taking Rex’s piece and executing a devious trap. The game wasn’t technically over yet, but it might as well have been. 

Rex raised his hands up and chuckled. “I surrender.”

Jacen frowned. “Come on, let’s play it out to the end!”

“You’ve already won, kid.”

“Yeah but I want to see my plan work.”

Rex shrugged, though he could understand wanting to see a strategy through to completion. There was something terribly satisfying about seeing one’s plans play out as predicted, and it seemed to make the kid happy. They kept playing while Dral watched on quietly with large, dark eyes, and a few short minutes later the game was officially over.

“Good game,” Rex said, shaking Jacen’s hand over the table.

“Good game!” Jacen said with a big smile. “And thanks for playing to the end. Mom always says I need to finish what I start.”

“That’s a good lesson to live by,” Rex said.

“Is that why you want to see the old guys on Seelos? You haven’t visited them in a while.”

A stab of guilt caused Rex to squirm in his seat. He’d seen his brothers more recently than Jacen knew, as he sometimes went on his own in his shuttle, but it had still been too long. A part of him felt like he should live there full time, though none of the clones ever seemed to begrudge him his life separate from them. “No, not exactly. I want to see them because they’re my friends. And you’re right, it’s been too long since I last visited.”

“I don’t understand why everyone has to live so far apart from each other,” Jacen said with a frown. “Uncle Zeb visits pretty often, but I almost never get to see Auntie Sabine. And it’s been almost a year since I saw you and Auntie Ahsoka.”

“Well, sometimes life takes us all in different directions. But we still remember each other and stay connected as much as we can. The effort and thought you put into your relationships is what makes the difference, not where you live.”

“I guess so…” Jacen said with a pout.

“Jacen,” Hera said from the door, “Your room’s a mess, and you promised me it would be clean before we picked up Ahsoka and Rex.”

Jacen’s pout increased. “Do I _have_ to do it now?”

“Yes,” Hera said sternly. “You decided not to do it when I asked, so now you have to live with the consequences.”

“Fine,” Jacen grumbled, hopping down from his seat and sulking in the direction of his room.

Hera took the seat Jacen had vacated across from Rex and smiled her gentle, motherly smile at him. “I think he likes you.”

“What’s not to like?” Rex said, leaning back and putting his arms behind his head.

Hera laughed, a mischievous twinkle lighting her eye. “Spending time with him is good practice, don’t you think?”

Rex started, his eyes blinking rapidly as he stared back into Hera’s aquamarine eyes. “...I don’t know what you mean...” he said, purposely obtuse.

Hera gestured to Dral as if he proved her point. “You’ve been taking care of this little one, and now you’re seeing what they’re like when they’re a little older. It looks like you can handle it at both ages.”

Dral let out a shriek of laughter and raised his arms up in his customary request to be picked up. Rex stood and obligingly lifted the child into his arms.

“The kid has a father, and I’m too old for that sort of thing,” he said.

Hera held up her hands in surrender. “Alright, alright. I didn’t mean to spook you. I just recognized some of the ways Kanan used to talk to Ezra, but I don’t want to project too much.”

Rex’s eyes fell to the holochess table and he sucked lightly at his teeth as he rocked Dral gently back and forth. “Yeah, well. Jacen’s a good kid. I just want to be a good uncle to him, you know?”

“And you are, Rex. Anyone can see that.”

Rex cleared his throat. “Thanks.”

Chopper emitted a rapid fire of disgruntled beeping noises, and Hera looked over at a console blinking in the corner of the room. 

“Shoot, looks like the Ghost needs some attention,” she said apologetically. “We should be coming up on Seelos in about two hours, anyway. Be ready to disembark by then.”

Rex waved goodbye as she rushed back to the cockpit, then sank into his chair with a sigh, setting Dral down on the seat beside him. He tried to prepare himself mentally to see his brothers again, but it was always difficult to witness the ravages of time doing their work on their bodies. As if sensing his distress, Dral burbled softly and reached out a wrinkled green hand towards him, the motion itself soothing even though they didn’t touch.

“Thanks, kid,” Rex said to him with a small smile. “I needed that.”

* * *

Rex walked down the gangplank of the _Ghost_ behind Hera and Ahsoka, his feet falling heavily against the metal bridge. Ahsoka carried Dral with her, and Chopper and Jacen followed after them. They walked through the sand towards a stucco building sheltered behind a large rock jutting out of the dunes—one of the only visible landmarks for miles. Almost ten years ago now Rex had called in a few favors with the Rebellion to have the place built, and now seven of his brothers called it home.

Blackout came out to greet them, and Rex assumed he was the de facto leader now that Bly was sick. There wasn’t any reason rank should determine who would act as head of the household, but clones would be clones, and there was comfort to be found in the familiarity of rules and regulations.

Blackout’s back bent harshly over his shallow chest, and his tan face was gnarled and textured with age. It had been nine months or so since Rex had last visited, but he would have sworn that Blackout aged more than those months accounted for. His knuckles curled painfully, and he reminded Rex of 99, only he’d been born perfectly whole and it was time rather than mutation that warped his features.

“Rex! Good to see you!” Blackout said. “And Captain Syndulla and Commander Tano, welcome,” he added.

Hera and Ahsoka returned Blackout’s greeting, and Blackout led them into the compound, his steps confident and certain despite his noticeable limp.

The compound was built around a courtyard, an open arcade surrounding the central square with rooms on the second story above. The courtyard rested above a deep cistern which provided water to the compound, as well as an underground cellar where they stored provisions both harvested from the desert and imported from offworld.

“We set Bly up in the infirmary,” Blackout said, walking towards a large room on the lower floor.

They followed Blackout into the infirmary and the adults walked in with Dral while Blackout showed Jacen and Chopper to the mess hall. The infirmary was a simple, clean room with a large medical bed, wide windows, and furnishings with a crisp warmth to them. Bly rested on the bed, his sunken eyes closed and the blankets pulled up to his chest.

“We can come back later when he’s awake,” Hera whispered.

“Oh no, he asked me to wake him when you arrived,” Numa said as she backed into the room carrying a tray of hot soup.

“Thanks Numa,” Rex said warmly.

He’d only felt comfortable leaving the compound for Kamino five years ago knowing that Numa would be there to watch after his brothers. She was paid by a small fund Hera had managed to put together for the retired clones, but no amount of money could buy the loyalty and affection Numa had for the former clone troopers.

Numa set the tray of soup down on an end table next to Bly, then gently shook him awake. “Bly, Rex is here to see you.”

Bly slowly opened his eyes, the gold-brown of them matching the washed out yellow marks across his cheeks. “Rex,” he croaked. “Thank you for coming.”

“Of course, brother,” Rex said, sitting down on a chair next to the aging commander. Hera and Ahsoka found seats further back in the room, recognizing that their visit was primarily intended for the two clones.

Bly struggled to sit up farther in his bed to get a good look at Ahsoka and Hera, and Rex moved to support him. Bly’s heavy eyes narrowed as he took in Dral seated on Ahsoka’s lap.

“You brought the child,” he said.

“We thought maybe-” Rex started.

“I know why you brought him, but my decision isn’t going to change.”

“It’s not just you left, Bly. If you and the others all took up my offer, we would have so much time left. Time to do what we want with ourselves. Time to make our own decisions. Time to _live_.”

Bly shook his head, just like he had the first time Rex had brought Dral here—the first time he’d asked Spark, Bly, Blackout, Thire, Silver, Echo, and Flak if they wanted to have the accelerated aging reversed. Each and every one of them had said no.

“You’ve got your family to live for, Rex. My family is gone.”

“Your brothers _are_ your family.”

“Yes, and most of them are gone, too.”

Rex bit his tongue, frustration and sorrow almost bringing angry words to his mouth. He let out a huff of air and screwed his eyes shut, shaking his head at Bly’s stubbornness.

“We’re children of the Republic, and the Republic is no more,” Bly said. “Even the pieces of it that lived on in the Empire are gone, and there’s no place for us. At least, there’s no more place for me.”

“There _is_ a place for you, brother. As long as I breathe there will be a place for you in the galaxy,” Rex swore.

“I know, brother, and I appreciate that,” Bly said, reaching a hand out for Rex. “Don’t mourn. I’m not sad. I’m just a man who has reached the end of his story. This was the time my body gave me, and I’m happy for it.”

It was a strange situation to be in, and letting Bly make this choice didn’t sit quite right to Rex. After all, if Bly had intended to end his life, Rex would never let him. But somehow choosing not to extend it felt different from cutting it short, and Rex understood that. He’d been in the same situation with Ahsoka not that long ago. He only wished he could inspire in Bly the same motivation to reach for more that Ahsoka had inspired in him.

Rex bowed his head and nodded, squeezing Bly’s spindly hand. “Alright. I’ll respect your wishes.”

Bly let out a sigh of relief and smiled at Rex, a weak but significant thing. He drew back his hand and was silent a moment before speaking. “I’ve been thinking about Maridun. Remember that?”

“Sure do, scouting out that crazy Separatist bomb at your side isn’t something you forget.”

“That bomb exploded and General Secura nearly killed herself swinging from that vine to save me,” Bly said, shaking his head. “It was crazy. Jedi or no, it was sheer luck she didn’t get herself killed.”

Rex laughed gently. “I know. And she’d just lectured Ahsoka on not getting too attached to Anakin.”

Bly joined in with his own weak chuckle, but his face quickly fell. “I envy you, brother,” he said.

“Why’s that?”

“You somehow got out of killing your Jedi.”

Rex dropped his eyes to his lap and twisted his hands together restlessly, not sure what to say. He sensed Ahsoka’s eyes on him, could practically feel her sympathy like a cold blanket on his back. 

“I’ll never forgive myself,” Bly continued, his voice cracking. “I’ll never forgive myself for killing her. She trusted me, respected me, _saved_ me. And I shot her in the back. If I was able to make even one decision in my life, it should have been that one.”

“You couldn’t help it. None of us could.”

“ _You_ managed it.”

“Only barely,” Rex said, raising his head to look Bly in the eye. “I could only hold off for a few seconds, and that was only because I’d been tipped off ahead of time. It wasn’t your fault, Bly”

Bly sighed and closed his eyes, letting his head sink back into his pillow. “It doesn’t matter why. I loved her. I never told anyone—might as well confess now. Maybe if she hadn't… if I hadn’t...”

He trailed off, a wistful look in his relaxed features.

“Bly…” Rex said.

“Do you think I’ll see her?” Bly asked.

“See her?”

“Aayla. She told me we all return to the fabric of the Force when we die, but I always hoped that wasn’t true. I want to see her. I want to beg her forgiveness.”

Ahsoka handed Dral over to Hera then got up from her seat, moving to stand by Bly’s bedside.

“As someone who knows something of what she must have felt, I know she forgives you,” she said.

Bly looked up at Ahsoka, hope shining in his ancient eyes. “You really think so?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

“Yeah,” she said, eyes flitting briefly to Rex before returning to the aging commander.

Bly smiled, his sickly features somehow still handsome in his contentment, and his whole body relaxed.

“Thank you Ahsoka. Thank you Rex. You’ve helped me find some peace at the end of my life.”

“There’s no need for thanks, brother,” Rex said.

Bly’s smile deepened and he closed his eyes, breathing in deeply before letting out the air. “You should see the other boys. I need to get some sleep, and I know they’ve been wanting to see you. Don’t worry, I’m not in my grave yet.”

* * *

That night Rex lay down in the guest bedroom next to Ahsoka and stared up at the ceiling. They’d enjoyed a nice dinner with Blackout, Thire, Silver, Echo, and Flak, but though their lively stories of juppa hunts and the old days were engaging, Rex found his thoughts going back to Bly over and over again. He understood why Bly didn’t want to be healed—he’d been in the same place himself on Kamino. But Ahsoka had managed to change his mind

“Rex,” Ahsoka moaned, rolling over towards him and looking at him through bleary eyes. “Why are you still awake? What’s wrong?”

“Do you think we can change Bly’s mind?”

Ahsoka scrunched her face up and rubbed her eyes, then propped herself up on her elbow once she was properly awake. “Change his mind? No, I don’t think so.”

“I know. I know I can only give him the opportunity. There are just so few of us left. I wish more of my brothers decided to take that opportunity.”

Ahsoka’s eyes softened and she pulled Rex to her, wrapping one arm around his shoulder while the other held his hand between them, their interlocking fingers pressing into his chest.

“We haven’t really talked to the others yet, you might be able to convince someone. I have a feeling Echo might be interested.”

“I’m running out of time, Ahsoka. I only found seven clones, and these next few years are going to take them all away, one by one.”

“You’ve done everything you can,” Ahsoka said. “And we can keep looking for other clones, alright? We’ll keep looking as long as you want.”

Rex let out a long breath and closed his eyes, pulling Ahsoka closer to him. There was something niggling at the back of his mind, something that being aboard the ghost reminded him of. Something that _Jacen_ reminded him of.

His eyes flew open as he remembered. “I know of someone.”

Ahsoka had drifted off to sleep again, and she shook herself awake. “What?”

“A deserter named Cut Lawquane. I left him alone before because he had his own life and he knew he wouldn’t be interested, but now that healing is an option...”

“You think he’d let Dral reverse the accelerated aging?” Ahsoka asked.

“Definitely,” Rex said, thinking of the way Cut had looked at his small family. “He has a wife and two children who I’m sure would be thrilled to have more time with him. I only hope he’s still on Saleucami. It could be hard to find him otherwise.”

“We’ll find him, Rex. We’ll keep looking until we find him.”

Rex hoped Cut was still alive. He thought of Shaeeah and little Jek, of how unfair it would be to lose their father so soon, though of course they weren’t so little any more. As he drifted off in Ahsoka’s arms, his last thoughts were of Jek, and of Jacen, and of thousands of little boys who’d never known a father.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pacing, my eternal nemesis, returns. There's a lot going on in this chapter, and I hope it flows alright. Thanks for reading. Also Ahsoka may seem a little OOC in that she behaves more like her younger self than her post-Rebels self. I guess I like to think that she's less guarded and controlled around Rex.

None of the other clones took Rex up on his offer, and Ahsoka watched as each rejection added that much more weight to Rex’s shoulders. It was hard to watch, and Ahsoka had to fight the urge to cut their visit short to spare Rex the pain. He needed this time with his brothers, needed to say goodbye.

They stayed another week on Seelos, and Rex soaked up what was perhaps his last opportunity to spend time with his brothers. Bly remained confined to his bed, but his health didn’t take any drastic turns during their visit, and Rex spent most nights at the compound playing low-stakes sabacc with all the other clones around Bly’s bedside. Sometimes Ahsoka joined in, but more often she helped Numa with whatever household work needed to be done. She left the boys to reminisce about training on Kamino, the rare joys of shore leave, drinks at 79s, the thrill of the fight, and the satisfaction of a hard won victory. From what she could tell, they largely avoided the darker subjects—this was a time to celebrate the life they had been granted and their unbreakable bonds of brotherhood.

Wanting to spare Rex the task of sorting out logistics, Ahsoka commed Din to ask about taking Dral to Saleucami to find Cut Lawquane. Din agreed to let Dral heal Cut Lawquane if he so desired, but he wanted Rex and Ahsoka to bring Cut to Ossus for the healing instead of taking Dral to Saleucami. _He’s been away from home too long,_ he’s said. As troublesome as the extra trip would be, Ahsoka agreed readily. Din was the child’s father, after all, and she respected that. Din was very aware of the fact that Ahsoka and Rex spent significantly more day-to-day time with Dral than he did, so Ahsoka always made sure not to step on his toes when it came to making decisions for his son.

The week flew by and eventually it came time to leave. Rex dragged his feet packing up his things, but all excuses for delay were quickly used up and soon all that was left to do was depart. The clones all gathered outside the compound to say goodbye, and Ahsoka gave Rex plenty of space to wish each one well. Even Bly had made it out for the occasion, pushed along in a hoverchair by Numa, and Rex saved his last goodbye for the Commander. Rex saluted Bly, and Bly returned the salute before pulling Rex down to his level and clasping Rex’s arms tightly in the clone version of a hug.

“It’s been an honor, brother,” Bly said.

“Likewise,” Rex said, his tongue tripping slightly on the word. He looked hard into Bly’s face for a long moment, as if wanting to say more but not knowing the words.

Bly smirked like he knew exactly what Rex was thinking. It occurred to Ahsoka that he probably did. Bly released Rex and pushed him weakly away in a playful shove. “Now go on, make sure the galaxy knows what a handsome mug we have. You’re our ambassador now.”

Rex laughed, blinking rapidly to disguise the moisture in his eyes. “Will do, Commander.”

Ahsoka walked up the gangplank next to Rex, finding his hand and squeezing it in an attempt to erase some of the sorrow she saw written on his face. There was a depth to Rex’s relationship with his brothers that she didn’t think she could ever understand, and she only hoped that she’d be enough to keep him going when all his brothers were gone.

They made the jump to hyperspace, and Ahsoka tried to help Dral settle down to sleep in his pram in the living area while Rex retreated to the quarters Hera had assigned them. Rex usually took bedtime duty, but Ahsoka could tell he needed some alone time and she was eager to lighten his load however she could. Dral was usually pretty good about going to sleep, but when he decided to be stubborn about bedtime it inevitably led to long, tear-filled nights.

Ahsoka could see exhaustion in the way the kid’s eyes drooped and his ears sagged, but he fought the urge to sleep, fussing and squirming in his pram long after being set down. After a while Ahsoka relented and picked him up, swaying and shushing him like she’d seen Rex do to bring those heavy eyelids down. It didn’t work, and Dral’s squawks and whines turned into full-blown cries.

Ahsoka’s arms grew heavy and her patience thinned, and she thanked her lucky stars when Hera left the cockpit and came to her rescue.

“I’ve got him,” Hera said, taking the child from Ahsoka. She held the child in her arms and swayed him back and forth, a tender smile on her face.

Ahsoka couldn’t see any difference in what she’d been doing and what Hera was doing now, but Dral immediately calmed. After only another minute or two of soothing, he snuggled into Hera’s chest and his eyes finally closed. Hera set him gently in his pram and closed the cover to block out the light. The tension finally left Ahsoka’s shoulders, and she let out a sigh of relief.

“How do you do that?” Ahsoka asked, unable to mask her envy.

“Lots and lots of practice with Jacen,” Hera said. “You’ll get there, don’t worry.”

Ahsoka frowned, seriously doubting that would happen. Dral had been living with her for a year now and she still wasn’t any better at this. She was a perfectly fine teacher—mute though he still was, Dral seemed to respect her, and his intention and control over the Force had grown in leaps and bounds since Ahsoka had started working with him. But baths and bedtime and getting him to eat the right food? Rex did all that. Part of it was just a natural division of labor between them, but it was reinforced by the way Dral never seemed to react quite as well to Ahsoka’s care.

“Well thankfully Rex is better with him,” Ahsoka said eventually.

“It’s also a bit different when you have your own,” Hera said. “You’ll see.”

Ahsoka bit back a laugh. “I’ll see?”

“Sure,” Hera said with a knowing smile. “Why not?”

“Come on,” Ahsoka scoffed.

“You don’t want kids?”

The question irked Ahsoka. She’d never even considered having children before, and she didn’t want to be interrogated about it now. She was closer to fifty than forty, for Bendu’s sake.

“I don’t know, and it doesn’t matter,” she said.

“I know it would be unusual at your age, but it’s not impossible-”

“It’s not going to happen. Can we please change the subject?” she said, her voice soft but completely unyielding.

Hera’s eyes widened in surprise, and she reflexively leaned back from Ahsoka. “Of course,” she said. “I’m sorry Ahsoka, I didn’t realize… I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine. I’d just much rather talk about your non-hypothetical kid,” Ahsoka said, forcing a smile. “He’s going to some pre flight school soon, right?”

“Yeah,” Hera said, eagerly grasping the lifeline Ahsoka had thrown her. “I thought… kind of hoped, really, that he would take after Kanan and learn to use the Force. But it looks like his talents take after his mom’s after all.”

Hera went on about Jacen’s plans for the future for a while, and Ahsoka genuinely enjoyed talking about the boy’s development and burgeoning ambitions. The lights of the cabin dimmed as the day cycle Hera had programmed into the ship ended, and their conversation fell into a lull as yawns crept in. Ahsoka excused herself and went to go find Rex.

She found him in their quarters, slumped over a desk in the corner of the room and looking pensive. Recognizing one of his moods, Ahsoka silently moved behind him and started massaging his shoulders, enjoying the feel of his muscles loosening under her touch. Rex sighed in appreciation and let his head loll back, his eyes closed and his expression blank. Comfort and familiarity washed over Ahsoka like a warm breeze, and she let all her frustrations go. She hoped she could help Rex do the same.

Ahsoka leaned forward, tucking her head between Rex’s shoulder and chin and nuzzling him with one lek. There were some things she could do for him that his brothers couldn’t. She turned her face into his neck and kissed him, gently sucking the soft skin there between her teeth. He squirmed a little at her touch, so she sucked harder, giving him a gentle bite.

“Stop,” he said, his squirm turning into an evasive maneuver.

Ahsoka stood and backed away, her warm feelings of confidence evaporating.

“Sorry,” she said, forcing her wringing hands to still. She hated feeling unsure of herself.

Rex turned and saw her stricken expression, then he shook his head and sighed. “It’s fine, I just… need a moment, ok?”

“Alright. I’ll, um, go use the ‘fresher,” Ahsoka said, turning to leave.

Rex caught her hand before she made her escape. “Hey,” he said, bringing her eyes back to him. He smiled his gentle, understated smile. “I love you.”

Ahsoka smiled back at him, willing sincerity into the gesture. “I know.”

By the time Ahsoka returned to their room, Rex was already asleep. She slipped into bed beside him and slept the rest of the way back to Ossus.

Both of Ossus’ suns had already set when the Ghost set down in front of Ahsoka and Rex’s house. The couple said their goodbyes and Rex carried a dozing Dral into their darkened home, the child’s fuzzy green head propped against his chest. Dral squirmed as Ahsoka followed in after them with their luggage, turning on a light in the entryway and setting their things down. Rex snuggled Dral back to sleep with soft shushes and murmured reassurances.

With infinite care Rex carried the kid to his room and tucked him into his bed, their silhouettes still visible to Ahsoka from the other room. She watched Rex’s tender and confident care and wondered for the first time where he had learned all this. Rex had probably only been touched a handful of times by sentient hands for his entire infancy, and yet he had adapted to the role of caretaker so well. She wondered what magic aptitude he seemed to possess that she did not.

Ahsoka went to sleep well after Rex that night, crawling into bed next to him while his somnolent form gently rose and fell with each breath. She stared up at the ceiling above her, her body tired but her mind restless. She thought of the parents she didn’t remember, wondering if they were still alive and if they regretted letting the Jedi take her away from them. She thought of the Jedi Temple, which felt like home but provided for the younglings a rotating door of trainers and teachers in lieu of parents. She thought of Anakin, who had felt the most like family to her of anyone she had known. She thought of what Anakin had done to his real family.

It was probably for the best that Ahsoka had never really thought about having children of her own.

* * *

Finding Cut Lawquane turned out to be surprisingly easy. Rex and Ahsoka set out for Saleucami a few weeks after returning to Ossus, and Rex easily located the old homestead in which he’d convalesced one night all those years ago. Rex guided their shuttle down to the surface and landed a few hundred yards from the farmhouse, and the first person Ahsoka saw after disembarking the ship was an old man, sitting on a rickety chair in the front yard and looking out over his fields. He wore his shaggy white hair longer than any of his brothers on Seelos, but he was still instantly recognizable as a clone of Jango Fett. After all these years, it looked like the clone deserter was still here.

The old man turned his hooded gaze towards Rex and Ahsoka, his wiry eyebrows raising into his wrinkled forehead as he recognized Rex.

Rex took a step towards him, hand outstretched in greeting. “Cut-?”

Before the man could respond, a tall russet-skinned Twi’lek man crashed through the fields with a rifle held ready in his hands.

“Who are you?” the Twi’lek demanded. “What are you doing on our land?”

Ahsoka raised her hands. “Now wait-”

“They’re friends Jek,” the old man said, his gravelly voice carrying surprisingly well across the yard. “Captain… Captain Rex, right?”

“Uh, yes sir,” Rex said, taken aback.

“No need to call me sir,” the man said with a wet laugh. “We’re the same age, aren’t we?”

The Twi’lek man slowly lowered his rifle and looked over at the clone in confusion. “Dad? What’s going on.”

“I’m sure I’ll understand more once we sit over dinner with our guests, but it looks like my brother Rex here has figured out the cure to the clone’s advanced aging,” the old man said, rising slowly to his feet and hobbling across the yard to the pair. He held his hand out to Ahsoka and she took it. “Cut Lawquane, pleased to meet you.”

* * *

Ahsoka sat next to Rex along one end of the Lawquane’s rustic dining table while Cut, his wife Suu, and their son Jek filled out the rest of the seats. Rex had made introductions out in the yard, though he’d skipped over Ahsoka’s past as a Jedi. They never knew which clones might still be ready to carry out Order 66, even a clone who had deserted as long ago as Cut. They saw no reason to risk it.

Rex had told Ahsoka about Cut and Suu before, but it was different actually seeing the couple in person. Cut was the first clone Ahsoka had seen in a relationship other than Rex, and she felt an immediate kinship with the two. The way Suu helped Cut sit down, the way she cut his meat when his shaking hands faltered, the way she’d stuck with her husband as he’d rapidly aged several decades older than her—that kind of devotion moved Ahsoka’s heart.

“So how’d you do it, Rex?” Cut asked. “And what brings you to our corner of the galaxy?”

“Would you believe me if I said it was the Force?” Rex says.

Cut laughed. “No. At least, I wouldn’t if I didn’t see the evidence right in front of me”

“Not all Force users can do this sort of thing, but we found someone who can heal us,” Rex said. “We were wondering if you would like to try the treatment too.”

Suu looked to her husband, a spark of hope lighting her eyes. Cut returned her gaze with a more measured, cautious expression.

“Really?” Cut said. “You came all this way just for me?”

“I don’t know how much you’ve been keeping up with the rest of the galaxy, but there aren’t too many of us left, Cut. I’ve asked as many clones as I could find if they wanted to have the aging reversed.”

“So there are a bunch of us running around looking like you.”

Rex’s face fell. “...Most of the brothers I found… chose not to accept treatment.”

The table fell silent, and Jek and Suu exchanged meaningful looks. Cut reached across the table and took Jek’s hand in one of his and Suu’s in the other, his weathered fingers gripping theirs tightly.

“Well it’s not a difficult decision for me to make,” he said. “If you’re offering treatment, I’ll take it.”

Suu had an excellent sabacc face, but Ahsoka could still detect the easing of tension in her shoulders. Jek grinned like a fool.

“We’ve got to tell Shaeeah,” Jek said eagerly, several years melting away from his features in his excitement.

“Oh yeah, that’s your daughter, right?” Rex said.

Cut nodded. “Sure is. She lives a few hours away from here with her husband and my two grandkids.”

Rex’s eyes nearly bugged out of his head. “ _Grandkids_?”

“It’s been a long time since you were last here Captain,” Cut said with a laugh, then he tilted his head towards Ahsoka. “And it looks like some things have changed for you, too.”

“Eh, well… I...” Rex stuttered.

“When you were here last all you could talk about was duty and obeying orders. I even remember us sitting here, at this very table, talking about your hypothetical children and how you’d never really have any because of your duty to the GAR. And now look at you, a married man!”

Ahsoka resisted the urge to add that while Rex was married, he still didn’t have any children. Instead she chimed in, “It took quite a bit of convincing.”

The others chuckled as Rex’s protestations increased, and Ahsoka grabbed his hand under the table. It had taken them a long time to come together, but she refused to feel regret over those lost years. They’d both had a lot to overcome to get to where they were.

“Yes, well, um. We should talk about the logistics,” Rex said in a transparent attempt to change the subject.

Cut indulged him and Rex went on to explain the next steps now that Cut had decided to move forward with the procedure. They’d need to travel to Ossus, Cut would get his chip removed, the child would heal him, then he could return to Saleucami. Mention of the inhibitor chip, whose existence was news to Cut, inspired a whole new string of questions, and the discussion continued late into the night.

“I always knew something wasn’t quite right,” Cut said. “Our decisions, our autonomy, our _humanity_ was taken from us. Even after I defected I still felt it.”

Ahsoka nodded gravely. Of all of Darth Sidious’ trespasses, his theft of the clones’ free will felt most vile. Her thoughts turned to the line of helmet-marked graves on an unnamed moon, but she forced the memories away. Such dark thoughts shouldn’t encroach on this bright home and this whole family.

“Thank you for not forgetting me, brother,” Cut said, his eyes fixed on Rex’s. “You’ve offered me both time and freedom—two of the most valuable things a man can possess.”

Rex scratched the back of his head and avoided Cut’s intense gaze. “Well, I wouldn’t put it like that… And we haven’t got there yet. We should leave for Ossus as soon as possible. If the other clones’ health is any indication we don’t have a lot of time left.”

“May I come too?” Suu asked. “I know you say this… procedure isn’t dangerous, but I would prefer to be by my husband’s side regardless.”

“Of course. There’s plenty of room on the shuttle.”

“I’ll come, too,” Jek said. “I bet Shaeeah will want to as well. It’s only right Dad’s kids be there for him.”

Ahsoka started counting seats on the shuttle in her head, but Rex didn’t hesitate before agreeing.

“You’re all welcome,” he said.

Ahsoka pursed her lips but didn’t contradict him.

“If you don’t mind my asking, Cut,” Rex said, “Jek and Shaeeah… are they-?”

“They’re mine,” Cut said. “Not biologically, but in every way that matters.”

“Cut has looked out for Jek and Shaeeah as long as we’ve known him,” Suu said, leaning her head against Cut’s boney shoulder.

“At first Dad had no idea what he was doing,” Jek said. “He used to tell us, ‘I grew up in a tube, how am I supposed to know how to entertain you?’”

Cut shrugged. “I was terrified, but I loved Suu and I knew they were a part of her. I wanted them to be a part of me, too.”

“And he learned pretty fast,” Jek said. “All he knew how to do at first was fight, so we had to teach him farming, and cooking, and how to play games. But pretty soon he had it mostly figured out, and I always knew Dad had my back. That’s something he always told us he learned from the army.”

“That’s right,” Cut said. “Just like I learned to watch my brothers’ backs, I learned to take care of my family.”

Rex listened intently as the three recounted their history, and while he watched the small family, Ahsoka watched him. There was a gleam of something in his eye, something that Rex, who so rarely thought of himself, very seldom expressed. Something like longing.

Ahsoka looked down and moved the leftover piece of reptilian steak around on her plate. Suu, Jek, and Cut continued on in their reminiscences, urged onwards by the occasional question from Rex, but Ahsoka said no more. Conversation flowed late into the night, and Rex never seemed to notice.

* * *

Shaeeah ended up joining her mother, father, and brother on the trip to Ossus, and it was a tight fit on the shuttle. Ahsoka sat on a stiff sleeping pad in the corner of the cargo hold and crossed her arms, all attempts at getting comfortable having failed. At least Shaeeah had decided to leave her two children with her husband. Ahsoka couldn’t imagine how they all would have squeezed into the shuttle with three more people—it’s not like one of them could sit on the wing.

“Ahsoka, where-” Rex’s voice sounded as he walked into the cargo hold and nearly tripped right over her. “Oh, there you are. I’m sorry you don’t have a proper chair _cyare_.”

Ahsoka’s arms tightened around her midsection and she scowled up at him. “It’s fine. I’ve managed to make it through much less comfortable flights.”

Rex slid down the wall to sit next to her on the mat, and he nudged her with his shoulder, an easy smile on his face. “Sure have. Remember the Geonosian ear worms?”

Ahsoka shuddered. “Don’t remind me.”

Rex scooted a little closer to her, his mouth opening and closing in several stalled-out attempts to speak. He closed his eyes and swallowed, refocusing his efforts. “We should spend some more time together, once we get back,” he said.

Ahsoka looked sideways at him. “We already spend all our time together.”

Rex rested his hands on his knees and shifted in his seat on the mat. “I meant without anyone else around. I can tell you’ve been feeling a little off. I thought… maybe with just the two of us-”

“I’m fine, Rex. Really.”

Rex drew his mouth to a line and leaned back against the wall. Ahsoka sighed and looked away from him, feeling like a petulant child. It had been years since she’d let a mood take hold of her like this. What was wrong with her?

Rex’s silence continued, and he had the patience of a monk. Ahsoka knew he was willing to wait her out as long as it took for her to admit what was really going on. The only problem with his strategy was that Ahsoka herself couldn’t really articulate what was wrong.

“Weren’t Shaeeah and Jek too old to have been Cut’s children?” Ahsoka asked, hoping to distract him. “You didn’t really need to ask him.”

Rex paused a moment before responding, then shrugged. “That’s what I thought, but you never know. Maybe his child also experienced accelerated aging.”

“It doesn’t matter anyway. Clones are sterile,” Ahsoka fired off thoughtlessly.

Rex stilled at her side and she turned to look at him. Rex had always been disciplined in controlling his expression, but the stony look on his face now was something different altogether.

Ahsoka didn’t say anything for a long moment, her heart understanding that she shouldn’t have said what she’d said, but her brain refusing to comprehend why. She’d only spoken the truth, after all.

“...Rex?” she said after the silence had grown uncomfortably long.

“Where did you hear that?” he asked.

“I’m not sure. I think Kix told me at some point. It’s only logical, though—why would the Kaminoans run themselves out of business by allowing the clones to create a next generation of soldiers?”

Rex’s throat bobbed up and down as he swallowed, and he nodded his head slowly. “That’s right. Wouldn’t want to dilute the value of the product.”

Ahsoka wrung her hands in front of her, starting to feel nervous for the first time in what felt like forever. “Well, at least in our case neither one of us was ever going to have kids anyway.”

“What makes you say that?” Rex asked, voice sharper than usual.

“Oh, I don’t know,” Ahsoka said acerbically. “Maybe that you were prepared to die a virgin only a year ago and I grew up in a sect that doesn’t even believe in families?”

Rex’s eyes grew glassy, and Ahsoka knew she’d kriffed up. A part of her screamed at her to stop—to just apologize and to say or do whatever she needed to bring a smile back to Rex’s face. But she was hurting, too.

“Why are you angry with me about this?” Rex asked.

“Because! I’m 47 years old! Why would you even think this would be on the table?”

“I _didn’t._ It never even occurred to me until practically today,” he said, which was a lie. Ahsoka had seen the way Rex looked at Din and Dral sometimes, the way he’d reacted to Jacen and Hera on their trip to Seelos. He wanted something deeply, and it was something she couldn’t give him.

“...And I’m not asking anything of you,” Rex continued. “Why are you punishing me for something that I just… _feel_? Am I not allowed to even _want something_ if you don’t want it too?”

“I don’t know, I was trained to deny myself the things I wanted pretty much my whole life,” Ahsoka said with a glare.

“Well you were never very good at that, were you?” Rex shot back.

Ahsoka’s retort died in her throat. Tears stung at her eyes, and she could see the glassiness intensified in Rex’s. She knew he wouldn’t cry, though. She’d only ever seen him cry once in all the years they’d known each other.

Rex let out a huff of angry breath and rose to his feet in one smooth motion. He dusted imaginary dirt from his grey pants and looked out across the cargo hold at anywhere but Ahsoka.

“Look, we’re not getting anywhere talking about this now. Let’s just… we’ll figure it out after we get back to Ossus,” he said.

Ahsoka let her head fall to her knees, all her muscles suddenly going limp. “Alright,” she said, almost a whisper.

Rex turned to leave, but Ahsoka called to him before he disappeared.

“Rex?”

He looked back over his shoulder, his perfect golden-brown eyes boring back into Ahsoka’s. “Yes?”

“We’ll figure it out, right?”

The corner of his mouth turned slightly upward, and one shoulder shrugged towards his ear. “Yeah, we will _cyare_.”

Ahsoka managed a weak smile, and he shut the door behind him.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay I'm finally updating! I'm sorry for the long wait, I had a lot of real life stuff to take care of. It took a while but I'm pretty happy with where this chapter ended up. I hope you enjoy!

_Neither one of us was ever going to have kids anyway._

Rex swallowed the memory of Ahsoka’s words along with his whiskey and smiled across the dinner table at an excited, joyful, recently de-aged Cut Lawquane. Things still weren’t resolved between him and Ahsoka, and it left Rex feeling like half a man, but he wasn’t about to let that tarnish his brother’s happiness.

“I still can’t believe it, Dad,” Shaeeah said, a wicked grin on her face. “You look _my_ age now.”

“Ugh, don’t say that Shy!” Jek protested.

Suu leaned her head on Cut’s shoulder, his newly-restored muscle providing a nice cushion for her. “Well _I_ don’t mind,” she said, wrapping an arm around his chest.

Rex shoved another piece of nerf steak into his mouth while the Lawquanes ribbed each other with the mercilessness of a family celebrating a truly joyous occasion. Cut took all the teasing in stride, and nothing could wipe the silly grin from his face. Dral had healed Cut that morning, and the years seemed to have melted away from Cut’s soul as well as his body.

“We really can’t thank you enough, brother,” Cut said, nodding to Rex while leaning into his wife’s touch.

Rex lifted his glass. “Oya, brother.”

Ahsoka raised a glass too, and Rex appreciated that she made the effort to celebrate. It wasn’t Cut’s fault that he and Ahsoka were still fighting, if you could even call this passive-aggressive tension between them fighting. Things had been strained between them since Saleucami, and if any of the Lawquane family noticed the chill, they had the tact not to show it.

Rex wanted to talk to Ahsoka, but he didn’t know what to say. They didn’t fight often, but when they did Rex was an expert at business as usual. It was in his DNA—you couldn’t stay focused on the battlefield if you were preoccupied by an argument you’d had with your CO earlier that day. Of course, Rex had never had to share a bed with his CO at night. The GAR had taught him to work despite interpersonal problems, but not so much how to resolve them.

“So what are you going to do with all this time you have now?” Din asked from where he sat at the end of the table. He had no food of his own, having already eaten in private, but a plate of food for Dral sat in front of him and he coached his son through dinner as everyone ate. Din had been trying to teach Dral some modicum of table manners recently, with mixed results.

Cut looked between his children and his wife and shrugged. “I’ve already done all the main things I wanted to. I raised two wonderful children, I’ve built a life with Suu. All that’s left now is to enjoy it, and now I get more time to do that.”

Din tilted his helmet in agreement. “A good life.”

“You need to get Jek married is what you need to do,” Shaeeah corrected her father with a wag of her finger.

Jek shook his head vigorously. “I can do that myself, thank you very much. Besides, what would dad know about finding a woman? Mom had to practically throw herself at him.”

“Sounds familiar,” Rex said, raising an eyebrow at Ahsoka. A peace offering.

Ahsoka chuckled, but it was forced, and Rex resisted the urge to frown. He’d done something wrong, he knew. Somehow she hadn’t seen his peace offering for what it was.

“Well I for one am glad,” Cut said. “It’s because of your mother’s stubbornness that I have a legacy in this galaxy beyond war and death.”

“A legacy? I don’t care what the packaging looks like, you’re still a sentimental old man,” Jek said.

“Of course you’re my legacy! You’re your own person, too, don’t get me wrong. But a man’s legacy is what he leaves behind the galaxy after he goes, and there’s nothing more meaningful than having people you care about—and people who care about you—as part of your legacy.”

Rex nodded, thoughts of reconciling with Ahsoka fleeing his mind for the moment. “And too many of our brothers lived their lives in a closed circuit,” he said. “They died and everyone they knew and cared about died with them in the same generation. It’s almost as if we clones might as well have not existed.”

“Well that’s not quite true,” Shaeeah said. “Think of all the civilians who would have died or been oppressed if clones hadn’t fought for them. Even on Saleucami I heard about Ryloth, and other planets like it.”

“Maybe,” Cut conceded. “But the whole war was contrived and unnecessary from the start. And I have to agree with Rex. Maybe it mattered that the GAR existed, but so many individual clones… There are so many individual brothers who lived and died with nobody left to remember their names.”

A cloud descended upon the dinner table, and Rex and Cut both dipped their heads down in honor of their fallen brothers-in-arms.

“They’re foundlings,” Din said.

“Hmm?” Jek said.

“It means orphans,” Shaeeah said. “But dad’s not exactly an orphan. He never had parents to begin with, by design.”

“Yeah, I don’t know if I agree with you there, brother,” Rex said to Din, leaning back in his seat and crossing his arms across his chest. “We didn’t have parents, sure, but we never felt like orphans. We were just… our own family. Raised by the GAR. Raised by each other.”

“I defer to your judgment, of course,” Din said with a tilt of his helmet. “But there’s no shame in being a foundling. The Mandalorians need foundlings just as much as the foundlings need them. The foundlings are our future—without them we have no one to carry on our traditions or beliefs. And without us they have no clan, no one to teach, protect, and raise them when they are vulnerable.”

Din’s words struck to the very core of what Rex had been feeling but unable to articulate these past few days. Rex didn’t feel a need as an individual to be adopted, but he wanted he and his brothers to have a place in the great genealogy of the galaxy. He wanted them to be a part of some long-lasting legacy before them and he wanted them to fit into the history and legends of future generations after them. Right now they were just a band of lost boys, with no past and no future. And Rex absolutely refused to let them be forgotten.

“Are you offering to adopt, Din?” Cut said. “I’m flattered but I think we might be a little old to be your sons.”

Din waved a dismissive hand. “Adult adoption is common among Mandalorians. Although usually the father is at least a few years older than the children he intends to adopt.”

“Enough of this nonsense,” Suu said. “As much as I like you Din, I’m enjoying not having in-laws.”

“I agree,” said Shaeeah. “We have to get back to our primary mission of finding a wife for Jek.”

Jek groaned and his sister launched into a long list of women (and a few men, before Jek had made his preferences known) she’d set her brother up with, all to no avail. By the end of the night the entire group had put together a six-part plan to destroy Jek’s bachelorhood.

“Din isn’t married either,” Jek complained. “Why don’t you bother him?”

“This isn’t about me,” Din said with the smug satisfaction of someone who knew he’d escaped scrutiny.

“Oh don’t you worry. We have the entire trip back to Saleucami to help our new friend Din,” Suu said ominously, a dangerous glint in her eye.

Din coughed and shifted in his seat. “On second thought, maybe Rex and Ahsoka can take you back.”

That wouldn’t work for Rex. As uncomfortable as he was sure it would be, Rex needed to get Ahsoka alone as soon as possible. It would be hard enough to work through their disagreement in private. If other people were there it would be impossible.

“No way. You said, and I quote, ‘A trip with Dral is long overdue, and I wanted to stop by Kijimi anyway,’” Rex said.

Shaeeah waggled an eyebrow at Rex. “Wanting some alone time with Ahsoka, I see?”

Rex huffed and Ahsoka silently took another drink from her glass. If that was how she was going to be, maybe he _should_ delay their reckoning. He could offer to take the Lawquanes back to Saleucami all by himself. He still had no idea what he was going to say to Ahsoka anyway. _I’m sorry you’re mad I want children_? _I’m sorry we both grew up in dystopian bubbles without traditional family structures, and now I want a family and you don’t_? None of that would change the desire of Rex’s heart, and it was that very desire that Ahsoka found hurtful.

_“Kote!_   
_Kandosii sa ka'rta, Vode an._   
_Coruscanta a'den mhi, Vode an._   
_Bal kote, dara… dara…. daraSUUM!”_

Cut had risen from his seat and was loudly singing in Mando’a while the rest of the table watched on in amusement.

“How’s his pronunciation?” Ahsoka asked, leaning over towards Din.

“Pretty good, actually,” Din said.

“Of course it’s good!” Cut said. “Other clones learned Mando’a from each other, but my trainer was a Mandalorian. I have _excellent_ grammar.”

“Alright, alright. I think that’s my cue to take you to bed,” Suu said, getting to her feet and taking Cut’s arm gently in hers.

He turned towards her, a silly grin on his face and a heated glint in his eye. “I like the sound of that.”

“Ugh, gross,” Jek said. “Yeah, _way_ past time to turn in for the night.”

A punishingly early departure time meant the Lawquanes said their goodbyes at the dinner table, and though Rex had never known Cut very well, he found his throat tightening as he bid his brother farewell. At least it was, for once, a happy farewell, and Rex could even reasonably imagine they might cross paths again some day. That kind of optimistic fantasy always made saying goodbye easier.

Ahsoka and Rex cleaned up while Din took Dral to get ready for bed and the Lawquanes staggered off to their quarters. Ahsoka and Rex had vacated their rooms to make space for their guests, so they slept on a rollout mattress in Ahsoka’s study. Though they had rarely had the opportunity to show it during the war, Rex had always felt that hospitality was an important part of clone culture.

By the time Rex finished the dishes, Ahsoka was already asleep in bed. He climbed under the covers next to her and rolled onto his side, his back to her. He didn’t know exactly what the next day would bring, but he figured it couldn’t hurt to be well-rested.

* * *

Rex woke to an insistent red blinking light in his face, the alert on his comm demanding his attention. The chrono flashed an hour that was early, but late enough that Din and the Lawquanes would already be gone. Rex looked over his shoulder at Ahsoka’s still-sleeping form and shimmied carefully out of bed, not wanting to wake her. Still rubbing the sleep from his eyes he stumbled to the comms room and picked up the receiver, dimly registering that the message was originating from Seelos. It wasn’t until the blue light of the holo clicked on that he realized what it must be.

_No… Not Bly._

_“Rex, hey there!”_ Blackout’s cheery voice filled the room. _“Sorry about the early call. It’s nothing urgent, but we figured you’d want to know right away-”_

 _“Would you think about what you’re saying for once, Black?”_ Echo cut Blackout off, pushing into frame and shaking his head at his brother. _“Bly’s not dead, Rex. Don’t worry.”_

Blackout’s smile faded and he sputtered. _“Oh yeah, sorry! We just wanted to let you know we want the treatment.”_

 _“_...What?” Rex said, feeling whiplash like he’d just HALO jumped behind enemy lines.

 _“Yeah,”_ Echo said. _“So far it’s just Blackout and me, but some others might join, too.”_

“You want the kid to heal you?”

 _“That’s what I just said,”_ Echo repeated, sounding annoyed.

“What… what changed your mind?” Rex asked. He still didn’t believe—wouldn’t let himself believe it. Good news never seemed to stick, so Rex was in the habit of handling it like a live grenade.

Echo shrugged. _“I’ve been following some of the politics of the New Republic. There are things happening—people making decisions I feel like I should be a part of. I realized there’s more I want to do with my life.”_

 _“And I’m getting married!”_ Blackout said.

“What??”

Blackout shoved Echo out of frame and Numa joined him at his side, her habitually intense expression softened by a bashful smile. _“Hey Rex. We wanted you to be the first outside the compound to know,”_ she said.

“You two? You two are getting married?” Rex asked.

 _“That’s right,”_ Blackout said. _“It might seem sudden but we’ve grown close over the years."_

 _“He always said it was pointless because he was dying. But he’s dying any more. At least not for a while,”_ Numa said with her characteristic blunt practicality.

“Then why didn’t you agree to the treatment before?” Rex said.

Numa let out a long-suffering sigh and Blackout scratched the back of his neck. _“I was… I don’t know, I just never considered the possibility of living longer, and then once it was possible, I didn’t want to feel like I was abandoning my brothers. It took me a little while to realize that continuing on could be my way of supporting the brothers.”_

Rex nodded slowly. He understood exactly what Blackout was going through, probably more than anyone else possibly could. “Yeah, I felt the same when Ahs- when I had to decide about the treatment, too.”

 _“We’ve got to make our stamp on this galaxy, brother!”_ Echo’s voice sounded from out of frame.

 _“Exactly,”_ Blackout said.

 _“I tried to convince all of them,”_ Numa said, _“And Echo and Blackout are the ones who came around.”_

 _“I need to give you proper credit,_ cyare _,”_ Blackout said, pulling Numa close to his side. _“If it weren’t for you it never would have even occurred to me to ask for more from my life.”_

Rex couldn’t help the grin that spread across his face at Blackout’s obvious happiness. And Echo, too, seemed so at peace. It looked like for at least a few more decades he wouldn’t be the only clone left in the wide, lonely galaxy. It looked like the grenade wasn’t about to blow up in his face.

“So when are the festivities?” Rex asked.

 _“As soon as possible,”_ Blackout said, _“For both the treatment and the wedding.”_

Rex nodded. “Makes sense. We’ll be there. I can’t say exactly when until I have a chance to talk with Din and Ahsoka, but I’ll let you know as soon as I know.”

They talked logistics, and Rex managed to squeeze a few more details out of them—both about how Blackout and Numa’s relationship had developed and what Echo planned to do after getting healed. When he finally ended the comm he felt light, almost buoyant. He got up to tell Ahsoka the news, then his good mood deflated as he remembered their fight.

It was easy to find Ahsoka in their small home. She was in her study, bent over her desk and typing intently into a data pad. If Rex had to guess, she was working on her notes on her Jedi training and youth at the Jedi Temple. There was talk among the former elements of the Rebellion of reforming the Jedi Order, and though Ahsoka didn’t want to be a part of it, she’d agreed to share what she remembered of the Jedi’s tenets and philosophy.

Rex made his way quietly into the room, not wanting to break her concentration, and indulged in a moment of observation. Ahsoka’s brow was furrowed in concentration, and she unconsciously played with one lek while her other hand swiped along the datapad. Finding something dissatisfying in her reading, her dainty nose scrunched up like she smelled something foul, and Rex barely stifled a chuckle. Seeing her like this, at ease and comfortable with herself and her path, Rex was overpowered by the sudden force of his affection for her.

Ahsoka who’d always held fiercely to her convictions no matter the chaos life threw at her. Ahsoka who trained diligently and fought tirelessly for those within her power to protect. Ahsoka who’d loved him unconditionally, who’d encouraged him to seize happiness whether he deserved it or not.

He needed to fix this. _He needed to fix this._ He could tell her about Echo and Blackout later, but right now, before anything else, he needed to bridge the gap between them. It didn’t matter that she’d hurt his feelings, because he’d clearly hurt hers as well. If there was any doubt in her mind as to where she stood in his heart, he needed to eliminate it here and now.

He walked up behind her and set his hands on her shoulders. Her muscles tensed under his touch, but he knew she had sensed his presence. It was only the affection in his touch that had been unexpected to her, and that realization stung.

“Rex?” she asked, looking behind her and starting to stand.

He helped her to her feet and turned her to face him, sliding his hands down to her upper arms. She looked up at him through her thick lashes, confusion in her eyes, and that confusion was unacceptable.

He bent forward, leaning her back over the desk, and one hand moved up to rest on her cheek. He ran his thumb back and forth across her white facial markings, and she returned his gaze with a warm sort of wonder. He leaned down further into her space and kissed her, both arms wrapping around her lean body and holding on tight. She kissed him back eagerly, one hand hanging onto the back of his neck and the other pressing against his chest and stomach. That was good. It showed she had at least some idea of what he was trying to express.

His fingers dug into the loose fabric of her dress and she sighed breathily, leaving his mouth to drag a series of kisses down his neck. He lifted her to sit on the desk and she wrapped her legs around his torso, drawing them even closer together. They hadn’t even been fighting that long, but still it felt like it had been an eternity since they’d come together like this, all passion and fire and devotion. It had been _too long_.

“You’re all I need,” he breathed against her skin. “And more than I ever deserved. I don’t want anything else.”

Rex leaned back and looked into her eyes, memorizing each detail of her familiar face and etching it into his being. He located the secret place in his heart where a little boy or girl with dark curly hair and a warrior’s spirit resided and let that dream go. He didn’t know how long it had been there, taking up space in his most private dreams, but it wasn’t Ahsoka’s dream, and he’d do whatever he had to to make their futures aligned.

“Really?” Ahsoka asked, pulling back slightly from him. “But… but you said…”

“I was wrong. You’re more important to me than anything else.”

Tears welled up in Ahsoka’s eyes, and Rex wasn’t certain if they were happy or sad. He wiped away her tears with his thumbs. _Kriff_ , he thought to himself. _Did I just mess things up even more?_

“What you want matters too, Rex,” Ahsoka said. “Ugh,” she huffed in frustration. “I wanted you to apologize first for once, but this feels awful.”

“Why? I don’t want you to feel awful, _cyare_. Just tell me what I can do” Rex said, holding her a little tighter despite himself.

For a moment there it had seemed like a simple kiss and declaration would be enough, but he should have known better. He could only hope that he’d be able to figure this out. He’d never been in a relationship with anyone besides Ahsoka, and they’d never fought like this before.

“We should… we should talk about _why_ we feel the way we do. Not just have one of us try to ignore what we want for the rest of our lives,” Ahsoka said. “Do you understand why I was upset?”

“I don’t need to know why,” Rex said staunchly. “No matter the reason, this is how you feel and I respect that. I take commands without issue because I’m a good sol- because I’m a good husband.”

Ahsoka frowned, and Rex’s heart dropped. _Karking hell, just how many times am I going to mess this up?_

“Rex, your feelings matter. What you want _matters_ , just as much as what I want. Ok?”

“...Ok…” Rex said. Then what were they supposed to do when what they wanted came into conflict?

Ahsoka took Rex’s hands in hers and sat further back on the desk, taking a deep breath before looking back up at him. “Ok, well, I guess I can start. To give you an idea of what I mean.”

Rex nodded his encouragement.

“When I see you looking at Jacen or Dral, or talking with your brothers about legacies and children… I can see how much it matters to you. And I think about how much I’m denying you, because I don’t want or can’t give you that.”

Rex’s fingers tightened around hers. “Is it don’t want or can’t give?”

Ahsoka bit her lip and looked to the side. “Both, I think… It’s hard for me to tell sometimes, though. When I think about children… There’s a lot of fear there.”

“Hmmm,” Rex said. He could understand that. Kids were intimidating, and if Rex were to somehow have a child, he wouldn’t know the first time about taking care of them. For whatever reason, though, the want outweighed the fear in his mind.

“I know how much you want to raise a family, and I feel guilty for stopping you,” Ahsoka continued. “And I worry that you’ll start to resent me.”

“I wouldn’t!” Rex said.

“I know… At least, I know you wouldn’t at first. But the future is difficult to see sometimes…” Ahsoka trailed off. “What about you?” she asked after a moment.

“Me?”

“Yeah. Tell me what you’re thinking, Captain. Let’s get a sitrep on that brain of yours”

Rex let out a short huff of laughter and moved away from Ahsoka, pivoting to sit next to her on the desk. “I… want children,” he said, putting it out there into the universe for the first time. “I know that if you put a child out into the universe, you have a responsibility to care for and protect it. That’s something my brothers and I were never given. We were created for war, and there was never anyone to advocate for us—never someone who would always have us at the top of their priorities. To me that’s what a parent should be, and I’d like to have the chance to give someone what I never had.”

“Is that the whole reason?” Ahsoka asked. “Because if that’s it, you could donate to an orphanage, or mentor some kids, or teach in the New Republic’s army-”

“-It’s more than just that. It’s like what Din was saying yesterday. My brothers and I are like foundlings with no past and no future. We were all connected by our DNA, and if possible… It would feel meaningful to me to continue our legacy. For our shared DNA to pass on to future generations. It’s not just about me. It’s about all of us. And… it’s about you, too.”

Ahsoka shifted beside him, but he was too afraid to look over and see her expression. He felt like he was being selfish, but he wasn’t sure exactly why. He looked down at his hands.

“Maybe you’re ok returning to the fabric of Force without a trace, but I… I want there to be more of you around,” he said. “The galaxy could do with some more Ahsoka Tano in it, and the idea of raising someone who’s a little bit you and a little bit me is… nice.”

“Is that possible, though? Adoption is one thing, but what you’re talking about…”

“Maybe not,” Rex said with a shrug. “But it seems like if science could create us they could probably figure out a way to help me have a child. Regardless, the DNA thing is a secondary concern. I want to raise a son or daughter with you, biological or not.”

Ahsoka hummed her understanding, and they both fell silent. Rex crossed his arms over his chest and closed his eyes, taking a moment to pull back the precious vision he’d let go only a few minutes earlier. A boy with Ahsoka’s blue eyes and Rex’s strong nose. A girl with thick brown hair and intricate facial markings. He had no idea how a hybrid mix of him and Ahsoka would actually look, but just the _idea_ of it demanded consideration.

“I don’t know if I want those things,” Ahsoka said eventually. “And a child should be wanted.”

Rex nodded. “I know. That’s what I was saying. You’re most important. I can let this go.”

“But you shouldn’t have to!”

“Ahsoka, relationships sometimes require sacrifice.”

“You’ve already sacrificed too much!” Ahsoka said, flinging her hands up in protest. “I don’t want you to sacrifice any more for me!”

“Well then what am I supposed to do?” Rex said in a burst of frustration. “Are you telling me to leave you for my own happiness? I don’t want that. This is the only resolution.”

Ahsoka drew herself up short, and the tension in her features melted away. “I’d never ask you to leave, Rex. It’s just... There’s all this fear, and I need to sort it out. Can you give me some time to think it over?”

“Are you going to change your mind?” Rex asked with an arched eyebrow. He wanted her to shut him down, immediately and unequivocally. He didn’t want to leave space for hope that would inevitably be disappointed.

“I don’t know. I can’t promise that, but… This is the kind of thing we don’t just fix with one conversation. It will take time.”

Rex leaned back against the desk again, his shoulders slumping. “Alright,” he said, suddenly very tired. He didn’t know how to think or what to feel, and he didn’t want to let any of his thoughts settle lest he form any opinions that hurt him once Ahsoka came to her final conclusions.

Ahsoka sighed and leaned her head against his shoulder. Her montral poked his cheek in a pleasantly familiar way, and she grimaced. “This is probably going to require some serious meditation. I was always terrible at that.”

Rex let out a soft chuckle. “I bet you regret ducking out of all those meditation sessions with Barriss and Luminara now, don’t you?”

Ahsoka elbowed him softly. “No way. That was how I found time to hang out with you.”

Rex unfolded his arms and snuck a hand down to grab Ahsoka’s, her dainty fingers warm and alive in his grip. “Well then I guess it was worth it.”


End file.
